WASHINGTON TWP., Pa. – Just in time for Easter celebrations, a booming business in Northampton County has expanded operations with a new commercial kitchen for preparing chocolate peanut butter eggs, carrot and cream cheese cupcakes and other tasty treats.
Colleen’s Country Shop, a home-based bakery and candy shop, in February debuted a new, larger workspace at 200 Cedar Road in Washington Township, Northampton County.
Since its establishment in 2018, the business has continued to grow year after year, leading owner Colleen Ackerman to recently convert half of her home’s garage into her business’ new home base.
Colleen’s Country Shop
The licensed home bakery, approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, features brand-new kitchen equipment and its own designated entrance.
“I love it,” Ackerman said of her new workspace.
“It’s actually a whole new kitchen, which I needed. I’ve been very busy since day one, and I’ve only been getting busier and busier every year.”
Ackerman’s built a large and loyal following thanks to her delicious, eye-catching treats, along with her friendly and reliable service.
She works closely with individuals to create custom cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods, accommodating requests for specific flavors, colors, shapes and designs.
“A lot of people really like the pull-apart cupcake cakes where it’s a number or something else made of cupcakes,” Ackerman said.
Colleen’s Country Shop
“It’s still decorated and themed like a regular cake, but it’s more practical because no knife is needed. People can just take an individual cupcake.”
Individuals can view dozens of photos of Ackerman’s work on the business’ website, colleenscountryshop.com, with pull-apart cupcake cakes shaped like numbers, animals, football fields, cartoon characters, crosses and more.
Colleen’s Country Shop also offers an expansive selection of cakes, including three-layer round cakes (4-, 6- and 8-inch), chocolate peanut butter cakes, cannoli cakes, carrot cakes, cookie cakes, fresh fruit number cakes, sheet cakes and tiered cakes, which can be customized with elaborate designs, fillings, cake toppers and more.
Colleen’s Country Shop
For cupcakes, customers can create their own variety by choosing from a range of flavors, fillings and icing selections, or opt for specialty cupcakes such as tiramisu, tres leches, triple chocolate, red velvet, peach cobbler, lemon blueberry or strawberry shortcake.
More than a dozen icing options include popular picks such as vanilla buttercream, strawberry buttercream, chocolate ganache, salted caramel, cookies and cream, espresso and lemon, and vegan, gluten-free and dye-free color options are available.
“Whatever you have in mind for a cake, I can almost certainly do it, mostly because I don’t say no,” Ackerman said with a laugh.
In addition to cakes and cupcakes, Ackerman also makes other sweet treats such as brownies, pumpkin roll, peppermint patties, pretzel bark, French macarons, holiday lollipops, hot cocoa bombs, caramel apples and chocolate-covered strawberries, Oreos and pretzels.
The business attracts customers from the Slate Belt and beyond.
Colleen’s Country Shop
“A few weeks ago, I had a woman come from an hour away in New Jersey,” Ackerman said.
“So, the business is continuing to grow, and I’m busy, for sure. I also have two boys at home, who keep me very busy. They both play baseball and other sports. So, I’m constantly going, but I love it.”
Following the birth of her first son nearly 10 years ago, Ackerman began making sweet treats for friends and acquaintances’ birthdays, holiday parties and other occasions.
As word steadily spread in the community, the business’ lineup of offerings also grew.
Today, Ackerman still enjoys experimenting with new recipes and techniques, and she particularly loves collaborating with clients to bring their tasty visions to life.
She’s a self-taught baker, who traces her love of the craft back to her childhood, where she took influence from family members.
“I wasn’t a problem child, but I was always in trouble,” Ackerman said with a laugh. “So, both of my grandmothers would constantly put me on the counter and make me watch them bake.”
In addition to baked goods and candy, Colleen’s Country Shop offers locally made soy candles, custom T-shirts, gift baskets and home decor.
Colleen’s Country Shop
Orders and inquiries can be made by filling out a form on the business’ website (colleenscountryshop.com), texting 610-841-6693 or sending a direct message through the business’ Facebook and Instagram pages.
For the latest Colleen’s Country Shop updates, including rotating seasonal offerings, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram.
More foodie findsNew restaurant coming soon to former drive-thru Wawa location in Lehigh County
L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. – A fast-casual restaurant chain is expanding its footprint in the Lehigh Valley.
A new location of QDOBA Mexican Eats, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant chain with approximately 840 locations in 45 states as well as in Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan and South Korea, is coming soon to 6216 Hamilton Blvd. in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County.
The new QDOBA eatery will occupy a soon-to-be updated building that was previously home the Lehigh Valley’s first drive-thru Wawa location, which closed in January 2025.
The Lower Macungie QDOBA location will be operated by The Integritty Group, a restaurant management and development company led by founders Jiger Patel, Pranav Desai and Raj Mahadevia. Full story here.
A new location of QDOBA Mexican Eats is coming soon to 6216 Hamilton Blvd. in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County.
Ryan Kneller
New Lehigh Valley ice cream and coffee shop to employ individuals with different abilities
L. SAUCON TWP., Pa. – Just in time for warmer weather, a new spot for chilled treats is coming soon to Northampton County.
Get Joy, an ice cream and coffee shop that employs individuals with different abilities, is expected to open in late May or early June at 3592 Route 378 in Lower Saucon Township, co-owner Sara Heintzelman told 69 News.
The space, which was previously home to a Brazilian jiu-jitsu and cardio kickboxing studio, is undergoing renovations that include new flooring, lighting, kitchen equipment and more.
Heintzelman, a Hellertown native, is a technology integration specialist at Bethlehem’s Centennial School, a Lehigh University-affiliated laboratory school that pursues two principal missions: serving children and youth with educational disabilities and preparing high quality teachers to enter the special education workforce. Read more here.
Get Joy is coming soon to 3592 Route 378 in Lower Saucon Township.
Ryan Kneller
‘Huge milestone’: New sports bar opens at site of former longtime favorite in Berks County
LOWER HEIDELBERG TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The site of a beloved former restaurant is now home to a new tasty concept – dishing out a diverse array of fresh eats such as chicken and ribs, mac and cheese flights, brick-oven pizza, smash burgers, souvlaki skewers and smoked porchetta – in Berks County.
The Valley Bar & Grill, a full-service restaurant and bar serving hand-crafted starters, sandwiches, signature plates and more, opened at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 8, at 4741 Penn Ave. in Lower Heidelberg Township, co-owner Frank Lapuma told 69 News.
The renovated property was previously home to the Bar-B-Q Pit, a beloved, family-run restaurant that closed last fall after decades of operation.
“We’re very excited to welcome the community,” Lapuma said. “[The Valley Bar & Grill] is a sports bar, but it’ll be a little bit more high-class than what a typical sports bar would look like. The food is also going to be at a higher level.” Read more.
The Valley Bar & Grill
Bethlehem buzzPopular chain’s 1st Lehigh Valley restaurant nearing completion at Shoppers Village
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A restaurant franchise, with more than 3,500 locations worldwide, will soon have a presence in the Lehigh Valley.
The first Lehigh Valley location of bb.q Chicken, known for its crispy, juicy and tender Korean fried chicken with sauces that provide an “eclectic mix of flavor,” is expected to open in mid-May at 2360 Catasauqua Road in Bethlehem, franchisee Sang Lee told 69 News.
The restaurant will occupy a renovated spot that previously housed Quick Print T’s in the Shoppers Village shopping center.
Lee was originally hoping to debut the Bethlehem eatery last year, but target opening dates were pushed back a couple of times primarily due to construction issues, including necessary HVAC updates, Lee said. Full story here.
Ryan Kneller
‘Incredibly grateful’: After November fire, popular Lehigh Valley pub reopens
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – More than three months after a fire damaged a much-loved pub in Northampton County, the business enjoyed a comeback with the “same great food, staff and atmosphere.”
The Bethlehem location of Pints & Pies Neighborhood Pub reopened on Friday, March 13, at 21 E. Elizabeth Ave.
The Bethlehem pub had been temporarily shuttered since a fire damaged the property in late November.
The Pints & Pies team is coordinating with local musicians and DJs to line up entertainment for the weekend to celebrate not only the pub’s reopening but also St. Patrick’s Day and March Madness, co-owner Jose Pinargote said. Read more here.
Pints & Pies Bethlehem
‘A place to pause; a place to read’: Bethlehem couple fulfilling dream with new bookstore
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A couple is beginning a new chapter in their professional lives, and they can’t wait to share it with the Lehigh Valley community.
Semicolon Books, a neighborhood bookstore offering a wide array of genres, is expected to open in late March or early April at 559 Main St. Suite 007 in downtown Bethlehem, co-owner Charles Debski told 69 News.
The new store will occupy an updated space that previously housed a staffing agency on the lower level of the Main Street Commons.
Debski and his wife, Udval Yun, are aiming to create a cozy and welcoming bookstore where individuals can shop a large selection of titles. Read more.
Husband and wife Charles Debski and Udval Yun pose outside of their new bookstore, Semicolon Books, coming soon to 559 Main St. Suite 007 in downtown Bethlehem.
Semicolon Books
Popular shopping destinationsLehigh Valley Mall bids farewell to 6 businesses, welcoming several others
WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – The departure of a prominent clothing brand and the upcoming opening of a popular restaurant chain’s first Lehigh Valley location are just a couple of the updates at the Lehigh Valley’s largest shopping mall.
The Lehigh Valley Mall, at MacArthur Road and Route 22 in Whitehall Township, in recent months has bid farewell to several tenants, including LOFT, As Seen On TV, And Pose Selfie Salon, Indigenous Hands by Kichwas Arts, Jennifer’s Unique Boutique and Chick-fil-A.
On the flip side, several other businesses – including Nori Japan, OFFLINE by Aerie, Texas de Brazil, Lina’s Ice Cream & Cookie Shop and Lehigh Mart – are set to join the mall’s lineup.
Various other businesses have recently opened or relocated. Full story here.
Ryan Kneller
Promenade Saucon Valley welcomes popular retailer as more tenants ready to open
U. SAUCON TWP., Pa. – A business offering unique gifts, home decor and more has expanded its footprint in the Lehigh Valley.
A new location of Norman’s Hallmark, a popular retailer offering Hallmark cards, Keepsake Ornaments and a wide selection of gifts, home decor, fashion, books, stationery, games and gourmet items, held a soft opening on Friday at Promenade Saucon Valley, 2845 Center Valley Parkway, Upper Saucon Township.
The new store is operating in a 5,290-square-foot space between Capital Blue Cross Connect and Bath & Body Works.
The Upper Saucon store is in its soft-open phase, with a grand opening – featuring sales, giveaways and other festivities – planned for April 9, according to Kim Dunn, marketing director at Norman’s Hallmark. Read more here.
A new Norman’s Hallmark store is operating at Promenade Saucon Valley in Upper Saucon Township.
Ryan Kneller
Expanding businessesNew full-service restaurant to open at former Griddle 145 site in Whitehall
WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – A popular restaurant is expanding its regional footprint with a new location at the site of a former longtime favorite in Lehigh County.
A new location of Al Azeez Grill, a full-service restaurant offering authentic Pakistani, Indian, Afghani and Middle Eastern fusion cuisine, is expected to open in April at 1146 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, co-owner Syed Ali told 69 News.
Improvements are underway at the property, which was previously home to Griddle 145, a breakfast and lunch eatery that closed in late December after 13 years.
The new Whitehall Township restaurant will be a second location of Al Azeez Grill, which Ali and his partner, Syed Zeshawn, opened nearly two years ago at 1959 Street Road in Bensalem Township, Bucks County. Read more.
A new location of Al Azeez Grill is coming soon to the former Griddle 145 site at 1146 MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township.
Ryan Kneller
‘Welcoming space’: Popular winery to open satellite tasting room in May
JIM THORPE, Pa. — A new destination to sip and savor premium, locally-made wines is set to take root this spring.
Cellar Beast Winehouse, a Schuylkill County-based winery known for its small-lot wines and thoughtful approach to hospitality, will open a new satellite tasting room in May in Jim Thorpe, Carbon County.
Located inside The Y on Broadway hotel at 69 Broadway, the new venue “will bring Cellar Beast wines and hospitality to one of Pennsylvania’s most visited historic mountain towns,” according to a news release.
The tasting room will offer guests a relaxing spot to experience Cellar Beast wines, whether stopping in for a glass, sharing a bottle, or exploring the winery’s selection of wines.
In addition to wine, the Jim Thorpe location will offer a small selection of beer and cocktails. Full story here.
BY_THE_MAKER_LLC
Allentown updates’A lot of community support’: Fresh food abounds at Lehigh Valley’s newest grocery store
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A new destination for fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs and other food is welcoming shoppers at a Lehigh County shopping center.
Valley Fresh Marketplace, a store selling produce, canned goods, snacks and other groceries, opened Saturday at 1384 Hanover Ave. in Allentown, manager Eddie Mashraki told 69 News.
The store, owned and operated by partners David Saad and Naseef Mashraki, occupies an updated space in the Allentown Commons shopping center.
“We live in Allentown, we grew up in Allentown, and we’re excited to do something positive for the city and Lehigh Valley overall,” Eddie said. Read more here.
After fire, Lehigh Valley restaurant and lounge aims to reopen this spring
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – More than a month after a fire temporarily closed a popular restaurant and lounge in Lehigh County, a comeback is on the horizon.
Love’s Restaurant & Lounge, a venue offering elevated American pub fare along with sushi, craft cocktails and nightlife entertainment at 1019 Union Blvd. in Allentown, has been temporarily closed since a fire damaged the property in late January.
The fire was small and caused minor damage, primarily to the property’s lower level, owner Bazz Jarjous told 69 News.
Jarjous and the Love’s team now hope to reopen the business within the next couple of months following repairs. Read more.
Seasonal, holiday happeningsSunrise Chef: Seth Harrow from Porters’ Pub in Easton prepares some Irish dishes
St. Patrick’s Day is next week, and an Easton staple is getting in the spirit.
Porters’ Pub chef Seth Harrow and owner Ryan Piper joined 69 News at Sunrise Friday morning.
The pub has been around for more than 30 years. It’s open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Full story here.
Chocolate bunnies set to hop off shelves along with other treats ahead of holiday rush at family-owned candy shop in South Whitehall
S. WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – Easter is right around the corner, which means a local family-owned candy shop is preparing chocolate bunnies, eggs, and sweet treats to fly off the shelves.
69 News reporter Sydney Kay gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Josh Early Candies in South Whitehall Township that’s getting ready for one of its busiest holidays.
Whipping up eggs in the morning, but not the kind you’re thinking.
Workers at Josh Early Candies in South Whitehall Township are cranking out thousands of peanut butter eggs ahead of Easter. Read more here.
Lehighton bike shop sees spike in repairs as riders look to combat cabin fever
LEHIGHTON, Pa. – For Alan Gindoff, a 70 degree March bike ride feels like…
“Butter,” he said, while riding his e-bike.
But as the seasons shift gears, not every ride is as smooth.
Inside the Lehighton Outdoor Center, the playlists are tuneups for bike mechanic Tom Marsden.
“I just changed the tension on the setting. It looked like that was it,” he said while looking at bike in need of repair. Read more.